- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
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Information on COVID-19
Learn more about COVID-19, information about previously scheduled appointments and what you can do to help protect your child and family. View COVID-19 information.
Visitor Restrictions
Riley at IU Health Facilities have implemented visitor restrictions to help minimize the spread of COVID-19, flu and other respiratory viruses. View visitor restrictions.
Information on Previously Scheduled Outpatient Appointments
To ensure the health and safety of all our patients and team members during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we’re making adjustments to some of our outpatient appointments. View updates to outpatient appointments.
Free Virtual Coronavirus Screenings
IU Health has launched a virtual clinic to offer individuals in Indiana regardless of age free coronavirus (COVID-19) screenings. View screening details.
- Actualizaciones del Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Información sobre el COVID-19
Obtenga más información acerca del COVID-19, incluyendo las preguntas más frecuentes y lo que puede hacer para ayudar a protegerse y proteger a su familia. Ver información del COVID-19.
Restricciones para visitantes
Las instalaciones de salud de IU Health han implementado restricciones a los visitantes para ayudar a minimizar la propagación del COVID-19, la gripe y otros virus respiratorios. Ver restricciones para visitantes.
Información sobre citas ambulatorias previamente programadas
Para asegurar la salud y la seguridad de todos nuestros pacientes y empleados durante la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19), estamos haciendo ajustes en algunas de nuestras citas ambulatorias. Ver actualizaciones de citas ambulatorias.
Exámenes de coronavirus virtuales gratuitos
IU Health ha lanzado una clínica virtual para ofrecer a las personas en Indiana, independientemente de la edad, evaluaciones virtuales para la detección del coronavirus (COVID-19). Ver detalles de la evaluación.
Same-Day Primary Care Appointments.
COVID-19 Provider Resources
Riley Children’s Health anticipates an ongoing massive response will be required by healthcare providers on all fronts. Our hospitals, ERs, urgent cares and offices will be strained to treat the sickest patients and also provide care for patients outside of the COVID-19 crisis.
Primary care providers will continue to play a crucial role in this pandemic response. For us to keep up with demand, and save lives, we will depend in large part on primary care providers having capacity and resources to treat less acute patients throughout our communities. Thank you for your partnership.
Updates
March 30 Update
Riley Children’s Health is supporting other hospitals who care for pediatric patients so those hospitals can focus on the evolving adult needs during the COVID-19 outbreak. As such, pediatric patients from the Level III NICU at IU Health Methodist Hospital have been temporarily relocated to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health or other appropriate level NICUs where they will receive the same or higher level of care.
- This keeps vulnerable pediatric patients cocooned in a safe environment.
- This also reserves space at the other hospitals if they are needed for adult patients in need of critical care.
Planning for organized transitions during this time ensures every patient receives the highest quality of care in the most suitable environment.
The maternity unit at IU Health Methodist Hospital remains supported by the highly skilled IU Health OBs and Riley maternal fetal medicine specialists, Riley neonatologists and Riley hospitalists. This ensures the best care for moms and babies during this temporary adjustment.
Previous Updates
We are making temporary adjustments to pediatric units at IU Health North and IU Health West hospitals:
- Effective March 17, all pediatric admissions will be centralized to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis, and inpatient pediatric rooms at both hospitals will transition to accommodate the growing needs of the adult population. This allows us to support the needs of pediatric patients in a controlled environment, as well as meet the operational needs of IU Health North and IU Health West.
- The NICU at IU Health North and the newborn nurseries at both locations are not impacted by this decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I best prepare my clinic?
- Immediately configure your clinics to see low acuity respiratory patients.
- Divide your flow so that patients with and without respiratory symptoms are seen in separate spaces.
- Consider a separate check-in process – one for those with respiratory symptoms and one for those with other symptoms, such as a front door versus a back door entrance.
- Consider checking symptomatic kids in their cars and/or asking them to remain in cars until a room is ready for them.
- Be creative in this crisis situation to minimize in-person patient visits for suspected COVID-19; use phones, video apps, etc. to see patients and help limit the spread of the virus
- Due to the need for an informed and coordinated public health response, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar has declared a limited waiver of certain provisions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
- Due to the need for an informed and coordinated public health response, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar has declared a limited waiver of certain provisions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
- Do not automatically redirect patients with respiratory symptoms to urgent care or emergency departments. Manage as much patient care as possible without sending patients to an urgent care or the ED.
- If you experience an increased demand for respiratory visits, consider canceling planned non-urgent patient visits, such as well-child visits. Limit well-child appointments to immunizations only, to free up appointments for respiratory patients, and keep patients at home.
- Isolate non-emergent respiratory patients with quarantine at home.
- Consider coordinating with other clinics to become a larger outpatient system for triaging and managing patients.
- Focus now on procuring the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by your staff, including gloves, masks, eye shields or goggles (not eyeglasses), and gowns.
- Stay up-to-date on the guidance on evaluating and reporting Persons Under Investigation (PUI) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We continue to receive many calls from the general public about COVID-19. To avoid burdening hospital phone lines and diverting staff from COVID-19 preparations, we are asking our primary care partners in the community to help us direct these inquiries to the appropriate public health authorities and other trustworthy information sources, including:
- Our Riley Children’s Health COVID-19 Patient Resource Page
- The Indiana State Department of Health
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Q: When should PCPs send patients to the Riley at IU Health Emergency Department? When should PCPs not send patients to Riley at IU Health?
- If you suspect your patient has COVID-19, the family should utilize the IU Health Virtual Visits app for an initial screening and support on what to do next. Staffed 24/7 with IU Health physicians, advance practice providers and registered nurses, the clinic will screen patients from home, potentially eliminating the need to visit physician offices, urgent cares or emergency departments.
- For other emergent needs, a pediatric hospitalist is onsite at IU Health North to support the Emergency Department for the foreseeable future. If you know or suspect your patient may need admission, you may direct them to the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Emergency Department.
- IMACS (consults) and the Transfer Center (transfers) continue to be available:
- IMACS (800.622.4989)
- Transfer Center (877.247.1177)
Q: How will I know if you are treating my patient for COVID-19?
If your patient is seen at Riley at IU Health for suspected COVID-19 (or any other condition), you will receive our standard follow-up communications regarding ER summary, admission, discharge, etc.
Q: If one of my patients is an inpatient at Riley at IU Health, what can they expect?
The clinical staff and providers at Riley at IU Health are trained on the identification, isolation and treatment of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. At this point in time:
- If an inpatient does not have cold or flu-like symptoms, they will continue to receive care without change.
- If the primary caregiver has symptoms of fever or cough, they should not visit.
- Effective March 15, only one designated visitor (parent or guardian) is allowed per patient at Riley at IU Health. This allows us to limit exposure to our hospitalized patients. Exceptions will be considered for end-of-life situations, and in the NICU where two designated visitors are allowed, but must visit individually. We are working hard to utilize all of our extensive resources as a comprehensive children’s hospital to support our patients and families during this stressful time through our robust online resource center.
The situation with COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and procedures for patient care will change as necessary to best protect patients, their families and staff.
Q: Are surgeries and specialty care appointments continuing?
Effective March 16, we’ve begun rescheduling all elective, non-urgent surgeries and procedures so that our care teams can be available for those patients who have immediate needs; Primary care and specialty follow-up visits may be rescheduled or be conducted over the phone, via a video visit.
All new referrals are being scheduled to open slots several weeks out, except for urgent/critical referrals which are reviewed on a case by case basis. Patients are encouraged to call their specialist if their symptoms worsen prior to their rescheduled appointment.
Q: Do you have resources or patient support materials I can share with my patients?
To help answer questions from patients and families, we’ve created an online resource center. There, you can find helpful information from our expert physicians about steps you can take to prevent the spread of the virus and how to a get a free screening if you suspect you have it.
We understand that these adjustments may have a major impact on the lives of our patients and families, and deeply appreciate your patience and understanding while our community is going through this public health emergency. As conditions are rapidly evolving, we may need to change patient care to protect patients, family and staff. We will keep you informed on those changes as quickly as we are able.